Feedback

Music updates from around town: Beacham, Sandwich Bar, Amway Center

A few weeks ago, after the Hot Water Music show at the Beacham, I heard more than a few murmuring speculations about the giant curtain the venue recently draped over the ceiling. Some folks thought it was there to improve the venue's sound issues (which, hey, if you add anything to a room, it's gonna affect the sound at least a little, so maybe, just maybe, it did help the sound, darling optimists). I caught the Jeff Mangum show there last weekend, though, and couldn't detect any noticeable difference. Others thought the move was purely about ambience, but the humble truth of the matter is that the curtain is there as a safety precaution to keep anything from the rafters from falling onto your head or into your test tube shooters. Now you know.

SUbstance, the art bar that definitely impacted our local scene during its way too short-lived stint on Mills, was a cool alternative venue for bookers, and I just found out that their sound system has found a new home in an unexpected capacity. Turns out the folks at Sandwich Bar inherited it, and they've been using it to amp up their latest weekly event, Kill the Keg Karaoke, which happens every Wednesday. If you're bored of singing into your tinny, plastic game-boy microphone, you might get a new rush out of singing through the PA, but you also might want to arrive on time to avoid the rush to the keg, which is always free while it lasts.

Oh man, this is cute. The entertainment forces at the Amway Center are offering a mobile app for anyone (with an iPhone) who's frothing for instant updates about pop stars coming to town or, you know, sports events, since that sort of thing occurs there, too. Thanks, Amway. We can always depend on you to bring the latest and greatest technologies to town. So, now you can buy your Taylor Swift tickets on the fly or find out about the latest ticket giveaway, which is certainly cool for people who exclusively use the iTunes Store to discover new music. Not that there's anything wrong with that ….

I almost forgot; it's Super Bowl Sunday!!! Yeah, I don't really care, either. I'm predictably more a fan of the mentality behind the Puppy Bowl – just assemble a bunch of lovable things and let them interact to no real end. Oh, and throw in some kitty cheerleaders. That's the sort of concept that WPRK's second oldest show, Jazz in the Bible Belt, is going for with their second annual Mingus Bowl, where DJ Matt Gorney will play songs spanning composer Charles Mingus' crazy-influential catalogue, so you can enjoy a smattering of all the different breeds of jazz and sit idly by as they intermingle. Meander along with from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and trade your pigskin holiday for a porkpie hat.